Hero's Belopoeica (Treatise on Artillery Construction) (1918) - Page 12

5 The definition of artillery construction original: βελοποιϊκῆς (belopoiïkēs) is to send a projectile original: βέλος (belos) a great distance at a given target with a powerful impact; regarding this, all care must be taken in the construction of the aforementioned engines.

p. 75 10 A projectile is defined as anything sent forth by engines or by some other force, such as a bow, a sling original: σφενδόνης (sphendonēs), or something similar.

Initially, the construction of the aforementioned engines began from 15 hand-operated bows. In an effort to send a larger projectile further through them, builders made the bows themselves larger, as well as the tension within them—I mean the 20 curvature at the ends, that is, the stiffness of the "horns" original: κεράτων (keratōn); the resilient arms of the bow, often made of actual horn or composite wood. From this, it followed that as these arms became difficult to bend, they required a greater force than that 25 generated by the human hand drawing them back. To solve this, they engineered a device like the following:

The task of artillery construction German original: Geschützbaukunst is to send the projectile over a great distance and with force against the given target. All efforts regarding the mentioned machines must be directed toward this goal.

A projectile German original: Geschoß refers to everything that is sent from artillery or any other force—for example, a bow, a sling, or any other .

4 Originally, the construction of the above-mentioned machines derived from the hand bow. Builders were forced to shoot a larger projectile a further distance with these; therefore, they made the bows larger and increased their tension—I mean the bending resistance of the bow ends, that is, the strength of the horns. Since these were now difficult to bend, a stronger force than the hand was needed for cocking. For this purpose, the following was invented¹:

(See Figure 3 on page 9, Figure 4 on page 10, Figure 5 on page 11.)

2 Cf. original: Vgl. above p. 4¹; Philo, *Mechanical Syntax* p. 51, 12 | 4 *dei* [it is necessary] in manuscripts P and V: *dē* [truly] in manuscript M | 5 *poiēsai* [to make] in manuscript M: *pepoiēsthai* [to have been made] in manuscripts P and V | [upon] added by H. Schoene | 14 "The" original: Αἱ is missing in manuscript M | 19 *ponous* [pains/strains] in manuscript Pᵃ | 20 [ek] [from] removed by Köchly | 24 *ginomenēs* [happening] in manuscripts P and V

¹ The image in manuscript M 47 v (Figure 3, p. 9) represents the whole weapon and its individual parts. The individual parts are: the claw with the uprights original: ἡ διὰ χειρὸς περόνη καὶ τῶν στηματίων (hē dia cheiros peronē kai tōn stēmatiōn). At the downward-pointing tip, the illustrator probably intended to show the spike belonging to the claw mechanism; the trigger original: σπαστηρία (spastēria); the pawl or lock original: κόραξ ἤτοι κατακλείς (korax ētoi katakleis); and the rack original: Ϙ ϶ (the notched bar for the ratchet).